{{Short description|British businessman and investor (born 1971)}} {{Use British English|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} {{CS1 config|mode=cs1}} {{Infobox person | name = Piers Linney | image = | caption = | known_for = ''Dragons' Den''<br>''The Secret Millionaire'' | education = University of Manchester | alma_mater = | occupation = Businessman<br>television personality | partner = Nichola Hedger <ref name=mirror>{{cite web|author=Daisy Buchanan |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/dragons-den-piers-linney-10-2145466 |title=Dragon's Den Piers Linney: 10 things you need to know about new Dragon |publisher=Mirror Online |date=11 August 2013 |accessdate=18 August 2013}}</ref> | children = Tiger, Electra and Alfie <ref name="mirror"/> | website = [http://www.pierslinney.com www.pierslinney.com] | networth = }}
'''Jonathan Piers Daniel Linney''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MBE|size=100%}} (born 15 February 1971<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130803024705/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006vq92/dragons/piers-linney Piers Linney biography] at ''Dragons' Den'', BBC Two. </ref><ref>[http://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/world-records/england-and-wales-births-1837-2006?firstname=piers&lastname=linney Findmypast.]</ref><ref>[http://www.spearswms.com/news/piers-linney-net-worth-4301341 "Piers Linney Net Worth"], Spear's.</ref>) is a British businessman and investor. Co-Founder of Implement AI<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/our-people/piers-linney/|title=Piers Linney – British Business Bank|work=British Business Bank|access-date=26 November 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> He was a former non-executive director of the UK government-owned development bank, British Business Bank, which has facilitated over £12 billion<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://annualreport2018.british-business-bank.co.uk/objectives/objective-1|title={{!}} British Business Bank|date=26 November 2018|website=British Business Bank|language=en-gb|access-date=26 November 2018}}</ref> of financing for UK small and medium-sized businesses and also operated the StartUp Loan Company and British Patient Capital, a £2.5bn fund launched in 2018.
He was the co-CEO and owner of Genesis Communications <ref name="icaew.com">{{Cite news|url=https://www.icaew.com/archive/technical/corporate-finance/mergers-and-acquisitions/piers-linney-on-the-acquisition-of-genesis-communications|title=Piers Linney on the acquisition of Genesis Communications|access-date=26 November 2018|language=en}}</ref> and was the co-CEO of cloud-based<ref name="icaew.com" /> IT business Outsourcery. He is best known for taking part on the BBC Two business series ''Dragons' Den'' from 2013 to 2015.
Linney also appeared on the Channel 4 series ''The Secret Millionaire'' in 2011, where he worked in Wolverhampton at a young offenders' institution.
In November 2018, he was named in the top 20 of Financial Times's list of the top 100 minority ethnic leaders in technology.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/54a7e6c4-dddb-11e8-9f04-38d397e6661c|title=The UK's top 100 black and minority ethnic leaders in technology|website=Financial Times|date=14 November 2018 |language=en-GB|access-date=26 November 2018}}</ref> He was also named in the FT as one of the top 100 BAME Leaders in Tech.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=13 November 2018 |title=Top 10: The most influential BAME tech leaders in the UK |language=en-GB |website=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/70dab5dc-e28c-11e8-a6e5-792428919cee |url-access=subscription |access-date=26 November 2018}}</ref>
Linney is also a content creator and public speaker that supports entrepreneurs to start-up or grow their businesses as part of his initiative.<ref>{{Citation|last=Piers Linney|title=What is #ScaleUp?|date=18 November 2018|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K45srjut6kk|access-date=26 November 2018}}</ref>
==Career== Linney studied accounting and law at The University of Manchester, and subsequently qualified as a solicitor with SJ Berwin. He then worked in investment banking, first at Barclays de Zoete Wedd, followed by Credit Suisse. Linney left banking in 2000 to start an internet business and has since been involved in a number of technology, media and telecommunications businesses. After becoming the CEO of a corporate finance boutique, Linney specialised in technology venture capital and securing structured equity and debt finance from US hedge funds for small and mid-cap listed companies. Linney became a partner in a €90 million alternative investment fund providing structured debt and equity financing to small cap public companies.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}}
In 2007, with his business partner Simon Newton, Linney led the buyout of Genesis Communications, a mobile voice and data resale company. In 2009 Genesis acquired Thus Mobile from Cable & Wireless and rebranded as Outsourcery to focus on cloud IT and communications. In 2012 the mobile business arm was sold to Daisy Group for £15 million.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Begum |first1=Shelina|title=Outsourcery on cloud nine|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/outsourcery-on-cloud-nine-6293808|website=Manchester Evening News|date=12 November 2013 |accessdate=8 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=James Graham |url=http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/510813-outsourcery-sells-mobile-business.html |title=Outsourcery sells mobile business – The Business Desk website |publisher=www.thebusinessdesk.com |date=3 September 2013 |accessdate=9 April 2014}}</ref>
Outsourcery was floated on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in 2013 raising £13 million.<ref>{{cite web|author=Doug Woodburn |url=http://www.channelweb.co.uk/crn-uk/news/2269894/piers-linney-if-youre-not-gunning-for-gbp100m-get-out-of-cloud |title=Piers Linney: If you're not gunning for £100m, get out of cloud – CRN website |publisher=www.channelweb.co.uk |date=22 April 2011 |accessdate=9 April 2014}}</ref> The business was provided with a debt facility by Vodafone.{{clarify|date=January 2017}} In June 2016 the business was sold for an undisclosed sum and the company placed into administration, having reached revenues of £10m, but remaining unprofitable.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}
Linney was a founding member of the governance board of the UK's Cloud Industry Forum<ref>{{cite web |author=Cloud Industry Forum |url=http://cloudindustryforum.org/governance/governance-board-members/98-piers-linney-outsourcery |title=Piers Linney – Cloud Industry Forum website |publisher=www.cloudindustryforum.org |date=8 September 2012 |accessdate=9 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413124421/http://cloudindustryforum.org/governance/governance-board-members/98-piers-linney-outsourcery |archive-date=13 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and has made appearance in the media to discuss the benefits of cloud computing.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} In 2014, Linney joined the Cabinet Office SME Panel, advising on small and medium business issues.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Office|title=Dragons' Den investor Piers Linney joins Cabinet Office SME Panel|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dragons-den-investor-piers-linney-joins-cabinet-office-sme-panel|website=Gov.uk|accessdate=8 August 2014|date=28 July 2014|first=Cabinet}}</ref> Linney established the now defunct not-for-profit organisation workinsight.org, a national digital platform that connects young people to local employers.<ref>{{cite web|work=New Business|date=5 August 2014|title=Technology entrepreneur and Dragons' Den star launches innovative digital portal to transform work experience|url=http://www.newbusiness.co.uk/articles/starting-a-business/technology-entrepreneur-and-dragons%E2%80%99-den-star-launches-innovative-digit|accessdate=8 August 2014}}</ref>
Linney is a founding trustee of the Powerlist Foundation,<ref>{{cite web |author=Powerlist Foundation |url=http://powerlistfoundation.org.uk/about-us/trustees/item/36-piers-linney |title=Piers Linney Trustee – Powerlist Foundation website |publisher=Powerlist Foundation |date=13 November 2011 |accessdate=9 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413141823/http://powerlistfoundation.org.uk/about-us/trustees/item/36-piers-linney |archivedate=13 April 2014 }}</ref> and is also a trustee of both the innovation charity Nesta<ref>{{cite web|author=Nesta |url=http://www.nesta.org.uk/users/piers-linney |title=Piers Linney Trustee |publisher=Nesta |date=24 January 2014 |accessdate=9 April 2014}}</ref> and careers website Plotr.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Enterprise Nation|title=Enterprise Nation Founder Emma Jones joins Plotr as Chair|url=https://www.enterprisenation.com/blog/posts/enterprise-nation-founder-emma-jones-joins-plotr-as-chair|website=Enterprise Nation|accessdate=8 August 2014}}</ref> Linney is involved with Virgin Unite<ref>{{cite web|author=Natalie Graham |url=https://www.ft.com/content/e09bbd0a-220a-11e3-bb64-00144feab7de |title=Piers Linney: I won't take no for an answer |publisher=FT Online |date=27 September 2013 |accessdate=9 April 2014}}</ref> and a range of other charities as a donor or patron.
In May 2023, Linney co-founded Implement AI,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-15 |title=Piers Linney becomes AI and technology lead at Champions (UK) |url=https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/100046/piers-linney-becomes-ai-and-technology-lead-at-champions-uk |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=Finextra Research |language=en}}</ref> which completed a £1.3 million seed funding round in September 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Martin |date=2025-09-17 |title=Implement AI seals seed funding deal |url=https://elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk/analysis/item/implement-ai-seals-seed-funding-deal |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=Elite Business Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Implement AI lands £1.3m seed round led by Nigel Wray to scale its operating system for AI digital workers |url=https://www.soapbox.vc/feed/implement-ai-1m-seed |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=Soapbox |language=en}}</ref>
== Speaking and public appearances == Linney has participated in business and technology events in the United Kingdom. In 2024, he was featured in post-event coverage highlighting sessions at Tech Show London.'''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-19 |title=Tech Show London announces 2024 session highlights are available on-demand |url=https://www.techerati.com/news-hub/tech-show-london-announces-2024-session-highlights-are-available-on-demand/ |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=Techerati |language=en}}</ref>''' In 2025, he delivered a session titled “Putting AI to Work” at Tech Show London<ref>{{Cite news |title=Putting AI to Work – Tech Show London Programme |url=https://www.techshowlondon.co.uk/big-data-ai-world-london-2025-programme/putting-ai-to-work |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251117161602/https://www.techshowlondon.co.uk/big-data-ai-world-london-2025-programme/putting-ai-to-work |archive-date=2025-11-17 |access-date=2026-03-06 |work=Tech Show London 2026 |language=en-GB}}</ref> and was listed as a speaker at Ideas Fest 2025 in a session titled “Grow Your Workforce, Not Your Payroll”, alongside Dr. Aalok.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AI: Grow Your Workforce, Not Your Payroll With Piers Linney and Dr. Aalok |url=https://ideasfest.uk/event/grow-your-workforce-not-your-payroll/ |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=Ideas Fest |language=en}}</ref>
== Awards and honours ==
* 2013 – Recognised in the JP Morgan-sponsored Power List as one of the top 100 most influential Black Britons.<ref name=":2">{{cite news|author=Kaya Burgess |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-100-tech/hardware-profile/article/piers-linney-dragons-den-latest-flies-in-from-the-cloud-b02r8wwrq79 |title=Piers Linney, Dragons' Den latest, flies in from the cloud |newspaper=The Times |date=12 March 2013 |access-date=9 April 2014}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Yedroudj |first=Latifa |date=2021-10-15 |title=Former Dragons' Den investor Piers Linney appointed as first ever ambassador for non-profit organisation to support SMEs and entrepreneurs |url=https://elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk/analysis/item/former-dragon-den-investor-piers-linney-appointed-as-first-ever-ambassador-for-non-profit-organisation-to-support-smes-and-entrepreneurs |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=Elite Business Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> * 2014 – Named Entrepreneur Leader of the Year at the first Black British Business Awards sponsored by EY.<ref name=":4">[http://www.thebbbawards.com/winners/ 2014 winners]. Black British Business Awards.</ref> * 2018 – Listed in the Financial Times top 20 of the top 100 minority ethnic leaders in technology.<ref name=":0" /> * 2018 – Named as one of the top 100 BAME Leaders in Tech by the Financial Times.<ref name=":1" /> * 2024 – Received the Diversity Champion of the Year, European Diversity Awards.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Our Winners 2024 – European Diversity Awards |url=https://www.europeandiversityawards.com/our-winners-2024 |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=European Diversity Awards |language=en}}</ref> * 2025 – Implement AI named AI Start-Up of the Year (London), UK Startup Awards.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=2025 London Regional Winners – UK StartUp Awards |url=https://startupawards.uk/2025-london-winners/ |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=UK StartUp Awards |language=en}}</ref> * 2025 – Finalist, AI Entrepreneur of the Year, Great British Entrepreneur Awards (GBEA).<ref name=":7">{{cite web |title=Wales Shortlist 2025 - AI Entrepreneur of the Year |url=https://greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com/wales-shortlist-2025/ |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=Great British Entrepreneur Awards}}</ref> * 2026 – Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2026 New Year Honours for services to small business, entrepreneurs, investors, banking, diversity, and social mobility.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=New Year Honours List 2026 (CSV) - GOV.UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/csv-preview/69492a05888ddc41b48a5465/NY26_Transparency_List__Final__19_12_25.csv |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=www.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Maguire |first=Chris |date=2025-12-30 |title=Ex-Dragons’ Den star Piers Linney awarded MBE |url=https://businesscloud.co.uk/news/ex-dragons-den-star-piers-linney-awarded-mbe/ |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=BusinessCloud |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Martin |date=2026-01-08 |title=Piers Linney awarded MBE: One-time lawyer, investment banker, former star of Dragons’ Den and regular Elite Business Ambassador, recognised for services to SMEs |url=https://elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk/analysis/item/piers-linney-awarded-mbe-one-time-lawyer-investment-banker-former-star-of-dragons-den-and-regular-elite-business-ambassador-recognised-for-services-to-smes |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=Elite Business Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{Cite web |title=Order of the British Empire |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/5028318 |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=The Gazette}}</ref> * 2026 – Finalist, AI Champion category, Black Tech Achievement Awards.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=Nomination Categories & UK Finalists 2026 |url=https://btaawards.com/2026-uk-finalists/ |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=BTA Awards |language=en-US}}</ref>
===''Dragons' Den''=== {{Main|Dragons' Den (UK)|l1=Dragons' Den}} In 2013, Linney joined the panel on the BBC Two television series ''Dragons' Den'', along with fellow new dragon Kelly Hoppen beginning in the eleventh series, replacing Hilary Devey and Theo Paphitis. In January 2015, Linney announced that he would be departing from the show at the end of series twelve, in order to focus on other projects.<ref>Rebecca Burn Callander, [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/11379135/Piers-Linney-quits-Dragons-Den-after-just-two-years.html "Piers Linney quits Dragons' Den after just two years"], ''Daily Telegraph'', 30 January 2015.</ref> He departed alongside Hoppen and Duncan Bannatyne, and they were replaced by Nick Jenkins, Touker Suleyman and Sarah Willingham.
Linney invested in Wonderbly (formerly Lost My Name), an award winning independent technology and publishing business that offers personalised children's picture books. Launched in 2012, Wonderbly has sold over 2.7 million books in over 200 countries around the world. Wonderbly raised $8.5m in 2017 from Ravensburger, a leading European publisher of games, puzzles, and children’s books and its existing investors include Google Ventures, Project A Ventures, Greycroft, The Chernin Group and Allen & Co.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/31/wonderbly/|title=Lost My Name, the tech-driven kids book publisher, raises $8.5M and partners with Roald Dahl Estate|work=TechCrunch|access-date=26 November 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Linney, Piers}} Category:Living people Category:English businesspeople Category:English television personalities Category:English people of Barbadian descent Category:1971 births Category:Dragons' Den